Grand double by Isha Lakhani

Promising Indian junior Isha Lakhani won the PIC Junior ITF grade-2 tennis tournament, at the Groenkloof tennis stadium, in Pretoria, South Africa, on Sunday.

Seeded second in the tournament, Isha beat third seeded South African Kelly Anderson 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 in the final to become the first Indian girl to win a Grade-2 title.

She went on to complete a grand double by winning the doubles event in partnership Sania Mirza. Seeded No. 1, the pair defeated the third seeded South African pair of Roxanne Clarke and Taryn Rudman 7-6 (7-2) , 6-2.

Earlier, in the semi-finals on Saturday, the top seeded Mirza was upset by third seeded South African Kelly Anderson. Anderson needed three sets to overpower Mirza, winning 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, while Lakhani beat South Africa’s Michelle Snyman 7-5, 6-1.

Isha, the 17-year old Mumbai girl, collected 100 points for the title, which takes her points total to 360. She will raise her ranking from 52 to around 35.

Both Isha and Sania will now go to the University of Pretoria sports center for this week's Grade-2 tournament.